‘WHO should not lead pandemic origins probe’

As the World Health Organization draws up plans for the next phase of its probe of how the coronavirus pandemic started an increasing number of scientists say the UN agency it isnrsquot up to the task and shouldnrsquot be the one to investigateNumerous experts some with strong ties to WHO say political tensions between the US and China make it impossible for an investigation by the agency to find credible answers They say whatrsquos needed is a broad independent analysis closer to what happened in the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disasterThe first part of a joint WHOChina study of how Covid19 started concluded in March that the virus probably jumped to humans from animals and that a lab leak was lsquoextremely unlikelyrsquo The next phase might try to examine the first human cases in more detail or pinpoint the animals responsible ndash possibly bats perhaps by way of some intermediate creature But the idea that the pandemic somehow started in a laboratory lsquoand perhaps involved an engineered virusrsquo has gained traction recently with US President Joe Biden ordering a review of US intelligence within 90 days to assess the possibilityEarlier this month WHOrsquos emergencies chief Dr Michael Ryan said that the agency was working out the final details of the next phase of its probe and that because WHO works lsquoby persuasionrsquo it lacks the power to compel China to cooperateSome said that is precisely why a WHOled examination is doomed to fail ldquoWe will never find the origins relying on the World Health Organizationrdquo said Lawrence Gostin director of the WHO Collaborating Center on Public Health Law and Human Rights at Georgetown University ldquoFor a year and a half they have been stonewalled by China and itrsquos very clear they wonrsquot get to the bottom of itrdquo Gostin said the US and other countries can either try to piece together what intelligence they have revise international health laws to give WHO the powers it needs or create a new entity to investigateGermany recommends combination of shotsGermany recommends that all people who get a first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine switch to a different vaccine for their second shot Researchers have said mixing vaccines is likely safe and effective but are still gathering data to be sure The countryrsquos standing committee on vaccination said ldquoaccording to current study resultsrdquo the immune response from a mixture of AstraZeneca with an mRNA vaccine was ldquosignificantly superiorrdquo to that from two doses of AstraZenecaAustralia further curbs new arrivalsAustralia plans to halve commercial passenger arrivals due to virus risks as parts of the country emerged from lockdowns Friday Australia will reduce its cap on arrivals from 6000 passengers a week to 3000 by July 14 to reduce pressure on hotel quarantine Prime Minister Scott Morrison saidJampJrsquos singledose vaccine promising against DeltaJohnson amp Johnson on Thursday announced that its singleshot Covid19 vaccine showed promising signs of protection against the Delta variant rapidly spreading across the US and other countries in a small laboratory study According to the company report the vaccine generated strong persistent activity against the rapidly spreading Delta variant and other highly prevalent SARSCoV2 viral variants In addition the data showed that the durability of the immune response lasted through at least eight months the length of time evaluated to date In the ensemble trial Johnson amp Johnsonrsquos vaccine was 85 per cent effective against severecritical disease and demonstrated protection against hospitalisation and death The vaccine was consistently effective across all regions studied globallyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever